The goal of this course is to improve students’ German grammar, vocabulary, and written and spoken German through study of queer German cultures. Queering narratives of German history, topics will vary across time and medium, and will include a variety of literary, political, historical, cultural, and artistic themes. We will begin with the rise of the first homosexual emancipation movements in the late 19th century and work our way through queer German history and culture: the glory days of the Weimar Republic, persecution under the Nazi regime, the emergence of gay and lesbian liberation in the 1970s and 1980, the conflicts between feminism and German lesbian communities, and the emergence of vocal queer voices of color and migrants in the present day. Furthermore, we will discuss the experiences of queer folk, focusing on what words they used to describe themselves, their struggle for freedom, and, most importantly, the immense creativity and beauty of queer self-expression. We will study novels, political manifestos, films, and artwork, as well as reconstructing the historical topography of queer living and community spaces in the queer metropolis of Berlin. We will become familiar with many queer figures, such as Magnus Hirschfeld, Anna Rüling, Jeanne Mammen, Klaus Mann, Marlene Dietrich, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Rosa von Praunheim, and Audre Lorde. Along with an extensive knowledge of the history and cultures of queer German communities, students will come away with the analytic tools and linguistic capabilities to speak, read, and write at a high level of German.